I submit this prose, not because I claim mastery of my profession, but because with the lack of other offerings, the great need of the young in this realm is not being met. For do not the rangers say, "In the new forest, a path once tread is better than no path at all"?
This then is a recollection of my actions on beginning my adventure. With the grace of the creator goddess Kali, may it serve as a guide for the would-be shaman.
The streets of Moorgate come not easily to the feet of the shaman, better accustomed are we to the forests and greener places of the land. Yet this is where my adventure begins, and thus I take solace from the little foliage scattered about. Pleased was I to meet John of the adventurer's guild desirous of a symbol of Nature, and to whose aid I gladly stepped.
Within the noble academy of hopes and dreams that is the Adventurer's Guild, I made my way to the shoppe. Conversing with the shopkeeper, I found to my surprise that he had gained many insights into the deeper mysteries of Kali's creation. We spoke at length on the life force of the lands and how to access the energy of the cosmos. In time my spiritual awareness grew. With this I was most pleased. For with this greater Karma, I knew that the well of Nature's power within me would grow faster as I grew in experience and such energy will return to me more quickly when I am rest.
I then felt ready to scribe my first spells. To this end, I remembered my father's instructions on the way of the shaman. There are four basic schools of Naturalism spells that all shamen should excel in.
First, the way of healing: blessed is Senrania, the goddess of healing, for her gift to mortal kind. I studied hard the scrolls of the shopkeeper, and scribed the spell of healing to novice level.
Second, the way of strength: though we are not strong in body, shamen are strong in spirit. We have a deep understanding of the body and how within us all burns the passion of Kali's power. The spells of strength allow us to concentrate and enhance our physical prowess. The first step in this way is the spell of Ogre Strength and I proceeded to scribe this up to a novice level.
Third, the way of protection: with Nature's grace, our spirit can manifest itself to the outward world as a shield of magic. Traces of Nature's energy manifest in the power of light can be captured in the spell of Light Shards, which I duly scribed.
Fourth, the way of accuracy: By focusing our sense of sight we gain an advantage in overcoming our foes. The spell of Eagle Eye calls upon the spirit of the Eagle to grant us clarity and quickness of vision.
The second step in the way of healing were the spells of Antidote and of Body Bind. Body Bind is not often called upon, for in sooth armour prevents direct bleeding. But one who bleeds will not improve in health no matter how long they rest. At such times a shaman should make haste to bind the bleeding wound with the body's inner spirit.
I was not able to scribe all these spells in the first instance. But, as I recount below, my experiences in the training area of the guild enlightened my young and active mind, so that at times I was able to return and study once again the deeper mysteries of Nature.
Armed then with my sharp dagger, and my spirit around me in the form of a deep red glow and a magical shield, I ventured down into the training area to draw my first blood. Healer though I am, and steward of the land's creatures, I am elf at heart. And in that ancient heart still burns the bloodlust that will drive my dagger into the heart of the evil hordes that dare to desecrate this land.
How sweet was the blood that poured from the weakened creatures. I felt the call of Ica rise up and small glory shone as the first of my tally was counted up.
Regaining my breath I returned to my wounds. Chanting my spell of healing with uncertain tone, I miscast my spell. Though the daisies scattered around were welcome as decoration the fact was I was not at a wedding! I tried again, and this time, thanks be to Senrania, I succeeded.
I realised I would not survive long iffen I continued with my tactics. I reasoned then the following. First by advancing the creature I wasted time, far better would it be to let the creature advance upon me first. In that step it would leave open its flank and thus my dagger could slip deep into its side. Second, by casting the spell of heal before I entered the fray it should be to hand immediately wouldst that I needed it in battle.
I continued thus with better tactics to slay many creatures that day. However, remember well that we are shamen, and that our way is that of healing. The first lesson of Karma teaches us that Kali has placed each of us amongst her creation in a singular place. That means we do not gain her grace by seeking to become another, but in sooth by being true to our own personal calling. Thus shamen are rewarded more through healing than through slaying. For fighters the converse applies, they gain little through healing but much in battle.
Thus, pleased was I that I was able to heal other adventurers who carried wounds sustained in their own fray. At times I turned from my own battles to aid others in theirs, not only through healing, but also through the transference of Natural power in the spells of strength and protection. Much was the grace that was granted to me as surely follows from the second lesson in Kali's Karma. Weak we stand alone, strong we stand together.
In time I had slain all I could within the training chambers, and gathered much gold in the process. Later I was to learn that these creatures offered gold enhanced by the will of the Creator, and that such easy pickings are rare in this harsh land. Make much of this opportunity while ye may, my friends.
I rested for a while at the bar of the Adventurer's Guild. Much delight did I take from the refreshments offered there. Ah - I see you smile, but think not that I squandered my time. For there is much to be said in the study of what gifts Nature gives us when transformed by our mortal hands into these beverages. Indeed as I was later to discover, there is much there to uplift the would-be mage.
Refreshed thus, I ventured into the catacombs. BEWARE! Do not be fooled into complacency by the relative ease of the training rooms. The catacombs are a place rife with death and struggle, and the monsters there wise in the ways of battle. The young shaman is not wise to venture there alone, but there he must travel to gain admittance to the Tower of the Mages. Forming a party ofadventurers and following the signs left there by those who have passed before us I was successful in recovering the ancient scroll of knowledge.
There are those who yearn for maps of the catacombs. They are not wise to make such demands. For the third lesson of Karma teaches us that our way is best found alone, so that we might earn for ourselves the grace which Kali grants to those who explore her creation. For the wise have said that such exploration is akin to worship.
Neither are they wise, those charlatans who offer to sell scrolls of knowledge to would-be mages. For the knowledge of the scrolls is not written upon the parchment, but is written upon the walls of the catacombs and the path we must tread to reach that scroll.
Taking my scroll to the tower of the mages I was granted entrance. Much was my joy at admittance to those hallowed halls of learning; much my delight at the staff I was given; and, through careful examination of its mysteries, much my thanks for the power it bestowed.
My first steps were to purchase a guild ring and to seek out a tutor to aid me in my studies of Nature. Again, my first steps were to enhance my Spiritual Karma. Once I had learned as much as was on offer I turned to the skills of magic.
There are three magical paths, the ways of Sorcery, Magical Spell Use, and Naturalism. Though Naturalism is the way of the Shaman, my first step was to learn the mysteries of Sorcery. You might frown on such a step, saying it is at variance to my stipulation of the first lesson of Karma. But I say this - The spells of fire, storm and ice, do they not call upon the essence of Nature? Does not the spell of Ensnare call upon Nature herself to manifestthe fingers of the Green land as bindings upon her foes? True, the chants of sorcery come not easy to my lips, but to complete my tasks I shall have need of such secondary power.
My next step was to scribe the spell of Ensnare. My well of magical power being small as it is, I am still better off using my staff in battle rather than the offensive powers of the elements. Thus my tactics in battle have been refined to first ensnaring and then attacking my bounded foe.
Thereafter I returned to my first way and studied hard the way of Naturalism, for therein lies my path to Kali's grace. No further spells of Naturalism are available within the halls to the acolyte mage than those I had scribed at the adventurer's guild.
I must now seek to prove myself to my peers by rising in rank in the guild and, when I am of their tenth circle, I hope to progress to the next steps in the schools of healing, strength, protection and accuracy. These spells being Regenerate, Giant Strength, Demon Shards, and Tiger Eye. By scribing the first layer of spells to novice, I had ensured that I would be ready for these second insights into the deeper mysteries that form magic. By not scribing them greater than novice I had ensured that my studies were not distracted in learning what I knew already.
Leaving the guild I then ventured out to explore the vast city of Moorgate. My eye had been caught by the needy on the streets, and I was sure that through careful exploration and alertness of the mind I wouldst be able to come to their aid and gain further Kali's grace.
Thus ends my first journal, day 12 of Hallow Month of the year 119 of our Lady Kali.
By my hand,
Seal, Nature's Healer.
Reviewed, Revised and Sealed by
~Eris~
Mages Guild Mistress
Day 21 of First Growth of the year 139.
Alley back to the library foyer.
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